Means for cooling photomechanical printing plates



Oct.- 30, 1923.

G. H. BENEDICT MEANS FOR COOLING PHOTOMECHANICAL PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 25 1920 Patented @ct. 3Q, 1923.

" EJNETEF.

GEORGE E. Bnnnnrougor CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, nssrenoa TO rownns rno'ro ENGRAV Ins COMPANY, ornnw YORK, N. Y., a ooarotaa'rron or NE YO MEANS FOR COOLING PHOTOMECHANICAL PRINTING PLATES.

7 Application and August 23, 1920. Serial in. 405,502.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. BENEDICT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the State of Illinois, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Cooling Photomechanical Printing Plates, of which the following is a speci fication.

The invention relates to means for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates, and more especially to an apparatus ormechanism for cooling such plates by the application there to of water or aqueous moisture in a manner and degree readily controlled by an oper ative, together with means for'quickly removing the moisture without injuring the surface of the plate. 7 1

Other objects and advantages .of the invention will be set forth, impart hereinafter, and in part will be obvious herefrom, or ma be learned by practice with the invention; the same being realized and attained through and by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and. described. Y p

The accompanying drawings, referredto hereinand constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is an isometric perspective of a plate ,cooling device embodying the invention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentaryvertical section, taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an isometric perspective of a somewhat different formor embodiment of theinvention than that shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical'section taken on the line H of Fig. 3.

In cooling photo-mechanical printing plates, especially such. as have been subjected to the enamel process, or otherwise, it is desirable or necessary that the cooling of the plate be under the accurate andabsolute control of the workman, so that he may localize the application of the cooling water or other cooling agent and also determine workman, preferably upon legs 2, which rest upon the floor. The tankl is preferably and control the duration anddegreeof the application of the cooling agent, and preferably that means he provided for removing the cooling agent from the surface of-the plate when desired Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated byway of example in the accompanying drawing, and referring first toits features generally, a support is provided for the plate to be cooled in con nectionwith a. receptacle or reservoir for the cooling fluid; thesupport for the; alate in one instance or example being in a 'Xed degree or position of submersion with respect to the level of the water or other cool: ing fluid, and in the other instance or ex ample, the plate support being regulable asto the degree of itssubmersion or sub; inersibility, that is, the plate support is submersible in the cooling liquid to a degree determined or determinable by theoperative. In connection with the foregoing,,means are provided, mounted upon the cooling apparatu's, forquickly removing the moisture from the plate, such meansbeing adapted to engage with the printing surface of the plate and to remove the moisture therefrom without in anywise-or in, any degree impairing the delicate and easily injured printin surface. V

I eferring now: in detail to the structural features of. the form shown in Figs. .1 and 2, a reservoir 1, shown of rectangular form, is supported at convenient height for the filled or nearly filled with water, and is usually equipped witha supply pipe 3 having a valve 4:, and with a;disc harge pipe 5 pro vided with a valve 6. Thepipe 5, if vdesired, may constitute acontinuous leveldetermining spillway, and the pipe 3 may 0on tinuouslyprovide fresh and cool water, or the tank may be filled from time to time and the valves 4% andfi may be closed in the meantime. j i

In this embodiment, aiplurality of plate supporting members arep ro'vided, spaced apart to permit-thecooling fluid to pass therebetween, and positioned 'verticallyin the reservoir 1, so that in connection with the means for determining the. height of the cooling fluid in the reservoirl, theywill dc termine the degree of submergence of the plate, or the degree of the application of moisture thereto. This is usually both of slight degree and of brief duration and is repeated by the workman as desired or required. As embodied a series of bars '7 is provided, arranged preferably parallel side by side horizontally, and separated one from another, and are supported within and from the walls of the reservoir 1. The bars 7 are preferably of wood, or other material which may become saturated with the cooling fluid, and their ends may be attached to the walls of the reservoir 1 by nailing. Wooden bars or other liquid permeated bars will themselves act to'a certain degree as a cooling means for the plates, when this is desired or advantageous.

In Figs. 3 and 4:, of the drawings, the reservoir 1 with the supporting legs 2 and the supply and discharge pipes 3 and 5, are shown the same as in the preceding figures. In this construction, however, the series of bars 7 are afloat in the water or other cooling liquid in the reservoir 1, the plate support? being submersible to a greater or less degree by pressure thereon. That is, the workman may place the plate upon the support and press downwardly thereon to a greater or less degree, the support sinking in the liquid to a degree corresponding to the pressure exerted. The support being afloat in the liquid, and requiring submersing pressure, gives a very nice and accurate control of the degree andlocation of the application of the cooling fluid to the printing plate. As already stated, the coolmg operation is often both slight in degree and duration, and may be repeated, with more .or less change in its location.

As embodied, the bars 7 are surrounded by a. rectangular frame 9, the ends of the bars being fastened to two of the opposite reaches of the frame 9 in any suitable manner, as by nailing, .The bars7may be of rectangular or other convenient form, and may be parallel with each other and separated apart a already described. As stated, the bars 7 and frame 9 are afloat in thewater in the reservoir 1, and if desired, stops 10 may be provided for limiting the degree of submergence of the plate support, as shown in Fig. 4:, the stop '10 being fastened on the inside of thereservoir 1.

The embodied form of means for removing the ooling fluid from the plate comprises trips 11 of soft and flexible or resilient material such as rubber, arranged along and projecting upwardly from one or more of the side walls of the-reservoir 1. After the plate has been cooled by applying it printing face downwardly, or otherwise, to the cooling fluid, the plate may be drawn across the top edge of the strip l1, and the remaining moisture removed. There will us ally b u ie t es dehe in the plate to immediately evaporate the exceedingly small amount of moisture which might remain after the plate has been drawn across the drying strip 11.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown printing plates including in combination a liquid containing reservoir, a plate support therewithin consisting of, liquid permeable material, the reservoir and plate support being relatively movable vertically to control the action of the cooling fluid on a plate on the support.

3. A device for cooling photormechanical printing plates including in combination a liquid containing reservoir, a plate. support therewithin and means mounted on the top edge of the reservoir close to the plate support for removing the moisture from the plate.

42. A device for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates including in combination a cooling fluid container and a floating plate support therewithin for supporting the plate being cooled in a horizontal position on topthereof.

5. A device for cooling photouneclranical printing plates including in combination a cooling fluid container, a floatingplate support therewithin for supporting the plate being cooled in a horizontal position on top thereof free to be depressed into the cooling fluid in the container, and stops carried by the container for limiting the depth of submersion of the plate support.

6. A device for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates including in combination a liquid containing reservoir, a plate support therewi-thin and a member mounted on and projecting upwardly from the top edge of the side of the reservoir for removing moisture from the plate.

7. A device for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates including in combination a liquid containingreservoir, a plate support therewithin and a member mounted on and projecting upwardly from the top edge of the side of the reservoir for-removing moisture from the plate consisting of aflexible plate projecting above the edge of the reservoir.

8. A device for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates including in combination a cooling fluid container and a floating plate support therewithin for supporting the plate being cooled in a'horizontal position on top thereof, adapted to permit the fluid to pass therethrough.

9. A device for cooling photo-mechanical.

printing plates including in combination a cooling fluid container a floating plate sup port therewithin for supporting the plate being cooled in a horizontal position on top thereof free to be depressed into the cooling fluid in the container, and adapted to permit the fluid to pass therethrough, and stops carried by the container for limiting the depth of submersion of the plate support.

10. A device for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates including in combination a cooling fluid container, inlet and outlet pipes for leading fluid into and out of the container, and a floating plate support there within for supporting the plate being cooled in a horizontal position on top thereof con- 7 sisting of a plurality of separated fluid supporting members with spaces therebetween through which the fluid may pass upwardly.

11. A device for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates including in combination a cooling fluid container and a plate support vertically movable therewithin and means for regulating the height of the liquid relatively to the top of the plate support.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE H. BENEDICT. Witnesses:

H. REIMER.

CHAS. L. PORTER. 

